China has warned its people against thinking twice before visiting the United States, citing commercial tensions. He also asked her students to be careful in studying there and accused two American universities of piracy. He pledged to reduce the number of Hollywood films that can be shown in China.
The trade war between the United States and China is already eroding more than just economic relations. The rapid expansion of the battlefield, from trade to culture and education, confirms the fragility of the relationship between the United States and China.
The United States, for its part, canceled some Chinese visas and researchers, as part of a Wide targeting for international students By the Trump administration. While the moves were not directly related to the commercial conflict, some conservatives suggested that they linked them: Donald Trump Junior, the son of the president, Posted online Last week, it was a “great idea” to expel all Chinese students as if it was a revenge for its own tariff.
For decades, students, travelers, artists and businessmen worked between countries SteadfastnessEven when political or economic tensions erupted. But with the deterioration of relations in recent years, both countries have begun to turn these relations into bargaining chips as well.
“This is an emotional reaction, not a rational reaction,” said Shin Dingley, an international relations researcher based in Shanghai. “Rightly, the more tense trade relations between China and the United States, the more sides need to maintain a total balance, to avoid a complete conflict.”
Until recently, both the United States and China were trying to rehabilitate these most softening exchanges, perhaps because they had a glimpse of the danger of their absence.
During the first period of Mr. Trump and the first years of President Joseph R. Biden, relationships have decreased to the lowest point in decades, which are attached to the Corona Virus Pod, and a disguise about Taiwan and Balloon alleged spy. Meanwhile, the closure of China’s borders for years during the epidemic resulted in a freezing of personal exchanges.
When Mr. Xi and Mr. Biden finally met in 2023 to try to solve the relationship, they pledged to restore some of these exchanges, as a way to support relationships. Mr. Shi said that he will invite more American students to China. American officials promised that they welcomed the Chinese students.
Economic and political considerations have always been detailed from these perceptions. Amid a faded economy, China last year allowed the highest number of foreign films to be imported since 2019; I noticed the official media The imported films will improve the box office sales. American musicians who were performed in China Bring tourism to their host cities. China was keen to show itself as open as it tried to attract foreign investors.
In the United States, Chinese students-who make up a quarter of international students there-are a vital source of financing for American universities. In 2023, they contributed about $ 14.3 billion in the US economy, According to US government data.
However, both sides dismantled the relationships as worthy of themselves. “The relationship of China and the United States has witnessed up and down,” An article in Chinese government media “But China’s firm commitment to promoting friendly exchanges between the peoples of China and the United States remained unchanged,” he said.
Now, those promises fade.
For revenge for the American definitions, China has announced its own accounts, Export controlsIt is prohibited for some American companies to do business in China – and to import fewer Hollywood films.
The government has made it clear that it expects – and it may encourage – economic frost to spill to positions towards the United States in general. The definitions “will definitely reduce how the Chinese masses see American films positively”, ” The National Film Administration said.
One day, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in China Travelers have warned “To assess the risks” of the United States’s entire visit, given the “deterioration of Chinese economic, commercial and state relations.”
separate Warning from the Ministry of Education He did not mention the trade war, instead of focusing on it Legislation has been approved in Ohio Supporting academic cooperation with China. But it was published on the same day that tourism warned, and the first alert issued by the Ministry to Chinese students who have been going abroad since 2021.
On Tuesday, Chinese government media Separately The University of California and Virginia Tech to participate in electronic attacks in Asian winter games, which were hosted by China earlier this year. (The authorities also said that they have added three people who are supposed to be linked to the US National Security Agency to a required list. Retail signs that encourage people to report evidence of American spies on social media.)
The universities and the American embassy in Beijing were not attached immediately.
Wang Lee, a Study a consultant abroad in BeijingShe said she was overwhelmed by letters from parents and students last week. The live broadcast with 1,800 viewers to discuss the Ministry of Education’s warning on Monday, where I dealt with questions whether people could apply for visas or whether it is advisable to do so.
“All this was very surprising,” Ms. Wang said in an interview, referring to both the ministry’s warning and the cancellation of the US government visa for many international students, including from China. “So it caused panic.”
On Chinese social media, some users said they are discussing whether they will cancel flights to the United States during the next May holiday. They pointed to fears of moving away from the borders and general hostility towards China.
Da Wei, a professor of international relations at the University of Tsinghwa in Beijing, said that travel and study was a warning to Washington from the Chinese government. He pointed out that they were not an explicit embargo, but they also recognized that the two countries were on the way to escalation, and that China was indicating that it might go further.
“Once you lose control, everything can happen, and it may be dangerous,” he said. “So I think the logic behind the actions of the Chinese side is a kind of warning against not expanding it to other regions.”
But Professor Da also indicated that there are real reasons for Chinese students to worry about going to the United States. In light of the democratic administrations and the Republic, government officials accused Chinese scholars of spies. Mr. Da said that he had stopped interrogation on the American border several times.
Florida restricts public universities From the employment of Chinese citizens. A bill in the House of Representatives Any Chinese citizens will prohibit From studying in the United States, although it is unlikely to pass.
Republican lawmakers He also demanded Many universities provide information on financial affairs and search for their Chinese students.
Mrs. Wang, a study consultant abroad, said the tensions had been afraid of even people who were more passionate about building contacts with the United States.
She said: “Many students, even if they are looking for freedom, tolerance and the rich academic resources of the United States, feel that they must change the directions.”
In the live broadcast, it urged its viewers to keep their options open by also applying to Australian or European universities as a backup.
“Leave yourself a safety network, well?” She said.
Si Chao The research contributed.
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